I am one of the many students who commutes long distances to Cal State Long Beach.
According to a study done by INRIX, a company dedicated to offering traffic information and other driving services, the average adult living in Los Angeles County spends up to 58 hours a year stuck in traffic. That’s approximately two days and 10 hours.
In two days and 10 hours, I am capable of so much, including finishing my homework, maybe.
The drive home, the drive to work, the drive to school, they all have a single thing in common: wasted time.
With gas costing $4 a gallon, commuting is not only burning a hole in my pocket but also hindering my college experience.
Joining clubs and organizations and being able to attend meetings is very difficult when a meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday, but I’m done with classes hours before then.
Not to mention, I have homework to get started on and a paper to finish, both of which are due first thing the next morning.
My ideal solution would be to stay on campus and get started on my homework by lugging my laptop and books with me. But I don’t want to feel as if I am taking my whole bedroom with me every time I leave the house.
Throughout my time here at CSULB, I have come across countless students who travel up to two hours to get to campus.
I have watched them drop classes due to their daily commute.
There is a strong feeling of disconnect from the CSULB community for commuters. The yearning to feel a part of something, whether it be a sport, club or an organization, has stuck with me since I experienced my first Week of Welcome as a freshman.
I can’t help but think about how many clubs I want to be a part of and how many email lists I should sign up for. At the end of the day, it’s all a balancing act.
No matter what I chose to do, or not do for that matter, it’s a win-or-lose situation on my part.
As a part-time employee and a full-time student, I have learned to juggle the busy moments of my life.
Traveling approximately 30 miles every other day to get to school, work, home and back, I need a lot of caffeine.
Needless to say, 24 hours is simply not enough for a working college student who must spend 30 minutes in traffic on the I-605 stuck with The Strokes on repeat.
Jovanna Madrigal is a sophomore journalism major and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
